FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a process for the thermal shock treatment in a reactor of spent pot linings, resulting more particularly from the dismanting of cells for the production of aluminium by electrolysis according to the Hall-Heroult method. It is pointed out that an aluminium production plant with a capacity of 240,000 t/year produces approximately 4,000 t/year of spent pot linings, which are constituted by carbon-containing cathode blocks, joints and lateral linings made from carbon-containing waste, as well as refractories and insulants on the side walls and bottom of the metal chamber forming the electrolytic cell. After use, these lining products are highly impregnated with noxious materials, such as soluble hexafluoroaluminate or sodium fluorides, as well as cyanides, which must be rendered insoluble or destroyed before they are discharged or reused.